My Big Fat Catholic-Hindu Wedding

- Our Story -

A Relationship History of the Bride and Groom

On Growing Up...

LAURA

Laura was born on January 16, 1983, in Peoria, Illinois. She was a very active baby - her eyes always connecting with objects and people. Perhaps it was a precursor to her career that at a very young age she picked up a crayon and started drawing. As she grew older, she loved all kinds of art projects, from finger painting to ceramics, charcoal to scratchboard - she had an eye for detail. She liked to write stories, especially just after waking up from a mysterious dream. She was a fan of old-fashioned letter-writing, and did so on a small electronic typewriter. At school she excelled in many subjects, but art and writing were always her primary interests. It was about in fourth grade that she began using computers, and she was fascinated by the rules and tendencies of the technology.

Years later, upon entering high school, she began to merge her interests and shape her aspirations. She realized that being a 3d (computer) character animator was her dream job. She enrolled in art and computer classes so that she would be ready for college. And in 2005 she graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Science in Computer Graphics Technology, with a specialization in Animation. She continues to study through an online program called Animation Mentor, which she will finish in late 2007 (graduating in January 2008). Meanwhile, she keeps herself busy at the apartment with animation, wedding planning, and also continuing contract work with CVC Communications (where she was an Art Director until she moved to Florida in March of 2007). She is thankful for such loving, supporting parents, and their constant effort to be encouraging of her career and her choices in life. She is also grateful for the love of her sister, despite all the sibling rivalry and bickering they've overcome throughout the years. The strength and affection she has been shown by her extended family also keeps Laura going. She is certain that a combination of patience, hope, love, prayer, and the bonds among family and friends is what helped her get where she is today.

Above all, Laura feels that Naveen has had a precious role in her adult life - he is still the most inviting, warm, and thoughtful person she knows (behind that ogre-like exterior!) and she is happy knowing they will spend the rest of their lives together.

(back to top)

NAVEEN

Naveen was born late at night on Saturday, May 7, 1983. Fort Wayne (IN) would prove to be Naveen’s stomping grounds for most of his youth. Upon meeting Naveen today, you might assume that back then he was a loud baby. Oddly enough, that is far from the truth: according to the venerable Usha Nattam, Naveen was a quiet baby and an even quieter toddler. Of course, Naveen is not quiet anymore. Some wish he would go back to the way he was (wink wink)!!! School was generally a stereotypical experience for Naveen. He made friends that he still holds onto today. As a child Naveen took an instant fascination with toys. Rather than bashing them together as kid actors seem to do in toy commercials, he believed he was spinning truly epic stories and prided himself on turning two stair steps into an evil fortress or the justice league headquarters. To summarize him - he simply loved making worlds. But perhaps family more than anything is what defines him. His brothers were a major influence: while eschewing typical childhood movies like the Wizard of Oz or Mary Poppins, Naveen grew up on Aliens and Jaws. His brothers did more than desensitize him though: they also mentored him, led him, saved him, and simply never ever forgot him. Naveen’s parents have had an impact on his life that he would not understand until he fell in love with a Blond Haired Girl who would change his life forever… but we will come back to that a little later.

So back to the toys. The toys defined Naveen. Perhaps the hardest thing for him to do in his childhood was to realize that he had to give them up (damn maturity). However, Naveen’s older brother Raj would lead him to the new toys: video games. While he could not control the storytelling in games, Naveen flocked to games and attached himself to them. They became part of his life and to this day, are the centerpiece to his interests. This path led Naveen into brainstorming his own game ideas. He began the fine art of “pacing” around the house to conjure his own game ideas. This grew into a habit that he still has not broken. While moving, Naveen moved his mind somewhere else, to a place far away where he envisioned some crackpot story about robots and the revolution they would throw. As he grew from a nerdy, quiet teenager to a nerdy, quiet college student, he began studying computer science.

While at college, Naveen began what he considers “the best part” of his life. He met Laura, and after being close friends for a year, he could not hold back his feelings. In an oddball nerdy way, he asked her out and the relationship has formed the foundation of his life since the fall of 2002. While being with Laura, Naveen continued to define what it was he wanted to do for a living. Naturally he looked towards a career in video games but got frustrated in how to configure his education to get there. Eventually, through a series of chance encounters and general curiosity, Naveen began to learn to become a Game Programmer. After spending his last year and half at Purdue learning as much as he could, he made the decision to continue school at Full Sail Real World Education in Orlando, Florida, where he would station himself until late June of 2008. While the thought of being so far away from Laura pained him greatly, he knew that her love would always be there and no matter how dark it got, he could always look for her light to guide him to the future.

(back to top)

The Proposal...

Naveen and Laura traveled to San Francisco on Wednesday, August 16, 2006, in anticipation of their 5th wedding attendance that summer. Laura's best friend from high school, Julie Townsend, had just been married days earlier on August 12, to her lovely Chilean soulmate, Francisco (Panchito) Tapia. Back on June 17, her best friend from elementary school, Sarah Rosenbaum, was wed to the light of her life, Stephen Breidert. And now it was nearing August 19, the day that her best friend from college, Dorothy Snook, would tie the knot with her love-at-first-sight, Jeff Hatchel. Three different eras of friendship, three different weddings (plus cousin Lea's and friend Melissa's), and a lot of love to go around.

Naveen and Laura were staying in the Marina district near Dorothy's apartment in a quaint but lovely hotel called the Chelsea Motor Inn. They stayed in room 216, with a good view of the corner of Fillmore and Lombard Street toward the north. On the morning of Friday, August 18, 2006, after almost four years of dating (and waiting!), Laura woke up to the scene of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" - a movie that she and Naveen love for its humor, culture, and some similarity to their own relationship. Only, she was not watching the movie itself; she was witnessing the proposal that Ian Miller made to Toula Portokalos! Naveen made a sly move and gave Laura a glimmering look as he exposed the precious ring - of course, knowingly, Laura had guessed what he was doing, and laughed with the certainty of true happiness. She knew that she would be saying yes no matter what happened in this singular moment: in her mind, Naveen had already proposed to her, at least half a dozen times, in the course of their relationship. Through the best and the worst of times, he had already given her his vows and his speeches of encouragement, and most importantly his devotion, and she was finally ready to accept.

(back to top)

The BRIDE and GROOM...

1998, Summer: Naveen and Laura participate in the Homestead High School Marching Band summer camp for three weeks. Being shy freshmen students, they probably haven't noticed each other yet.
1999-2001: Naveen and Laura attend high school together. Laura notices Naveen's Big Brown Pride on the band bus, and is generally somewhat annoyed at him, but finds interest in his film projects when they share a favorite art teacher, Mr. Tricker. Naveen pretty much recalls that she was quiet and had short hair... that's about it...
2001, Fall: Naveen and Laura begin school at Purdue University. They begin hanging out with each other and mutual friends. Gradually, their room mates begin dating each other, forcing Laura and Naveen to spend time together, gossiping and taking walks. Over the course of their freshman year of college, they become best friends.
2002, Summer: Naveen invites Laura over to his house several times to hang out with him and his buddies. Several of Naveen's buddies can't understand why Naveen would take in such a crazy girl who would be quiet one minute and obnoxious the next. Other buddies manage to enjoy her company.
2002, Fall: By now, it is apparent that Naveen and Laura are interested in each other. On October 22, 2002, they agree online that they should meet in person to talk about this newly discovered interest. Laura runs quietly out of her dorm room in a fluffy gray sweatshirt, some homemade pj bottoms with tiny pink and orange flowers on them, and red bedtime slippers. Naveen makes his way up the hill from the Rivermarket Apartments at Wabash Landing, wearing his usual hooded black sweatshirt and listening to "In My Life" by The Beatles on his mp3 player. They meet by the "crooked tree" (an icon of the Purdue Memorial Mall, which has since been replaced by shrimpy shrubbery in a recent landscaping project). They walk and talk as time ticks on, and sometime in the wee morning hours of October 23, 2002, they park on a bench near the clock tower, swapping family stories and various topics, and decide to embark on a new step in their relationship. When they finally call it a night, they attempt to hug each other, and it is weird. :)
2002, Nearing Winter: Naveen and Laura are spending more and more time together. Since the quick fix at Arby's doesn't really count, their first date is actually back home in Fort Wayne for Naveen's cousin Sweety's wedding. However, soon enough they begin the more traditional dinner and movie dating routine, but learn they are bigger fans of staying home, dining in, curling up on the couch and watching movies there.
2003: Things are becoming more serious after Laura brings up the concept of going to church together. Naveen agrees without hesitation, and practically without Laura having to actually ask. They begin speaking more about religious matters in general, including the idea of raising children Catholic, and various important values involving marriage.
2004: Marriage is a common topic of conversation. The possibility is explored, discoveries are made, and concepts are revisited to ensure they would each be able to maintain their values and be happy.
2005: Laura graduates after the spring semester in May and Naveen graduates the following semester in December. Early in the year they begin meeting with Father Dan Davis at St. Thomas Aquinas church, where they have been going to mass together every Sunday.
2006, Spring: Laura enrolls in an online program called Animation Mentor to continue her education. She also begins freelancing (in computer graphics) with CVC Communications in Fort Wayne, IN. Naveen continues to participate in the production of a chemistry educational game at Purdue, but decides to enroll in a game programming degree from Full Sail Real World Education in Orlando, FL. The two of them spend time at the West Lafayette apartment with buddies during their last summer at Purdue.
2006, Summer: Several of Laura's friends are getting married. In May, her cousin Lea; in June, her grade school best friend Sarah, in July, her friend Melissa from college; and in August, her high school best friend Julie and her college best friend Dorothy. Laura drags Naveen to each of these weddings.
2006, Summer: On August 18, 2006, the day before Dorothy's wedding, Naveen Nattam proposes to Laura Skowronski, and she says yes. See above proposal story!
2006, September 1: On a Friday evening, Laura's parents (Tom and Lynda) take Naveen's parents (Sreenivas and Usha) along with the happy couple to Biaggi's, where they enjoy a celebratory engagement dinner and share gifts, flowers, and cookies baked and wrapped by Lynda.
2006, Fall: Laura is promoted to a full time Art Director position at CVC immediately following a road trip to Orlando to help Naveen move into his new apartment. The two prepare for the relationship to become long-distance - it is a sensitive time and requires a lot of understanding and support.
2006, Fall: Laura visits Naveen in late October for their fourth "anniversary," as they've begun saying. They take their first trip to Epcot and Universal Studios together.
2007, Early Months: By this time, things are increasingly difficult for the two. Although Naveen is making some great friends, he is still isolated from those he loves most. Similarly, although Laura is gaining incredible full-time work experience in her field, she is experiencing great difficulty focusing on her animation projects, and she feels drawn to Naveen so they can once again begin talking about marriage, planning the wedding, and going through the traditional Pre Cana classes at church. So after 6 months of separation, Laura steps down to a contract position (with gratitude for the opportunity) so that she can move to Florida. She flies down on a Friday afternoon so that she can still finish her assignment by Sunday, whereas her loving parents and grandmother take the van (after much difficulty) and move all of her most needed belongings.
2007, Early Spring: After a Lymphoma Society auction win, Naveen's father gives Naveen and Laura the two prize tickets to a week-long Eastern Caribbean cruise on the Princess line. The two consider themselves lucky to have been able to go on such a fantastic (much-needed) vacation, and thoroughly enjoy themselves in the tropical sunshine!
2007, Late Spring: Naveen and Laura begin to make plans for their upcoming wedding. On Palm Sunday, they meet Father Terry Niziolek at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Orlando, FL, and find out he went to the same Catholic Seminary (La Salette, in Olivet, Illinois) and IN THE SAME 1967 CLASS as Laura's great uncle Gordon Malecki, who had been encouraging and mentoring Laura and Naveen through their premarital questions until his unfortunate passing on Good Friday, 2006. Laura and Naveen both feel as though they are still being guided by Gordy from above and beyond, since they randomly found Fr. Terry, who is one of only a few of Gordy's fellow seminarians remaining alive today, practicing the faith about 1100 miles away from home. In early May, Laura becomes an official member of the humble parish, and she and Naveen undergo the initial premarital interview with Father Terry to officially begin their marriage preparation.
2007, Early Summer: Laura is scheduled to finish Animation Mentor by late 2007 (graduating in January 2008). Naveen is set to finish his Full Sail degree in June 2008 (probably graduating in July 2008). After completing their studies and finding some good jobs (fingers crossed!) early estimations suggest their special day will be in late September, 2008.
2007, Late Summer: Laura and Naveen decide officially to have two separate wedding occasions in two different cities and two different times (to properly accommodate both families in their strong Catholic and Hindu traditions). The Catholic wedding had been assumed to be in Milwaukee, WI (as opposed to Fort Wayne), at Laura's maternal grandparents' church, where various family members have been married, baptized, confirmed, etc (since her parents were considering to move up there anyway). However, the family finds St. William Catholic Church in Waukesha, WI (about 20 minutes away), and Laura especially falls in love with the setting. Labor Day weekend 2008 is a strong consideration (since most guests will have to travel), until it is learned that a 105th Anniversary of Harley Davidson event is going on that weekend, which has hotels already booked and families putting up rooms for rent. Also, another friend of Laura's is getting married that weekend in Chicago. In August 2007, Laura's parents put down the deposit for the reception hall at the north half of the Grand Ballroom at Country Springs Hotel. So, it's official: the date is officially set - September 6, 2008.
2007, Early Fall: Naveen's mother, Usha, submits Naveen and Laura's names and birth dates to a Hindu priest in Fort Wayne to configure an auspicious time for the Hindu wedding, based on a traditional, astrological calendar. The appropriate date for the Hindu wedding is October 11, 2008, just five weeks after the Catholic wedding. At first, the event is assumed to be held at the Grand Wayne Center, but eventually it is decided to be booked at the new Landmark Conference Center in Fort Wayne, IN. Plans are developing!
2007, Fall: On September 17, Naveen and Laura meet with Mrs. Artemis Otaiza at Good Shepherd to begin their FOCCUS sessions: "Facilitating Open Couple Communication, Understanding, and Study." They undergo a quiet, 2-hour test session during which they answer 150-175 questions regarding religious beliefs, family experiences, ability to handle finances, household work and careers, concerns about raising children, and even sexuality. It proves to be a very useful learning tool, even though in their 5 years together, they thought they talked about nearly everything. They complete their FOCCUS Sessions on October 12, after meeting with Artemis and her husband Claudio Otaiza, to discuss the results, have some questions answered, and find that they are good communicators and good to each other.
2007, Fall: On October 20, Naveen and Laura complete their PreCana course at the Diocese of Orlando Chancery Building. It lasts from 8:30am until 4:30pm, with a strong emphasis on the sacredness of marriage and the importance of prayer and good communication. They listen to topics such as Personality Profiling, Family of Origin, Conflict Resolution, Challenges to Effective Communication, Healthy Relationships, Communicating Love, the Sacrament of Marriage, Natural Family Planning, Parenting, and Prayer. The couple feels stronger and more confident than ever!
2007, Fall: On October 23, Naveen and Laura celebrate their 5th year together. The day before, they visit the Historic Bok Sanctuary in Lake Wales, FL, and enjoy a fine dinner at Ruth's Chris Steakhouse in Orlando. On the day of their anniversary, they have class and work to do, but they manage to enjoy a home cooked dinner (baked chicken, stuffing, and corn, and a special Muscat wine from Napa). They watch some television, play a few games, and enjoy each other's company.
2008, Early Months: On January 12, Laura graduates from Animation Mentor. On the 16th she celebrates her 25th birthday. It's a lot of back and forth now between Orlando, Fort Wayne, Milwaukee, and San Francisco - and a second trip out to "the city" happens in February when Naveen takes Laura out for GDC (the Game Developer Conference), where he gets hired on the spot on the career fair floor. Naveen intends to finish school in late June and then in July start working as a software gaming engineer! It's an exciting time for the couple.
2008, June: On June 19th, Naveen and his White Board Logic team release their final presentation of Smashout! - the hit new game in the Full Sail arcade. Raj (Naveen's oldest brother, already a game industry pro himself) flew in for a few days to witness his brother's triumph, which was pretty cool. Just a week later on June 27, Naveen graduated from Full Sail as valedictorian and was asked to speak in front of the crowd of graduates and their families at the Hard Rock Live theater in Universal Studios. His parents flew in for that event and got a glimpse at his studious life in Orlando. Just a few days later, on June 30, Naveen and Laura moved out of Orlando and drove up to their friends' house (Jess & Kevin) in Georgia, staying a day to relax and see Moody Air Force Base with them.
2008, July: Naveen and Laura made the 16 hour drive up to Fort Wayne where they enjoyed the July 4 holiday and waited to hear from the moving company. Despite a call from the movers saying they'd be in Chicago the following Friday morning, they surprised the couple on Wednesday late in the afternoon, saying they'd arrive at 8am the next morning due to a schedule change. So the two had to pack up their things a day earlier than expected and drive to Chicago extremely late that night. Bright and early the morning of July 10, Naveen and Laura moved into their first official apartment home together. A week later they headed for Wisconsin to get their engagement photos taken, and Laura's family threw her a beautiful first bridal shower on July 20. Just a day later, on July 21, Naveen started his professional life as a software gaming engineer!

(back to top)

Sunday, October 15, 2006

Comments

Feel free to post any comments here.